Eight Key Controls Every General Counsel Should Have in Place Before Globalizing Their Business

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The threshold for moving business beyond borders has been lowering, and doing business on a global scale is no longer only possible for multinational powerhouses. The term “global start-up” has been introduced to describe companies that are intent on conquering the world from the day they are established. Plans for moving business to a global scale are activated years earlier in a company’s lifecycle more than 20 or even 10 years ago.

This is a fantastic challenge for CFO’s. When asked, most CFO’s will confirm that it is a great deal more rewarding to be part of a global group than to lead a purely domestic business. Most of them will acknowledge that they made basic mistakes while their business expanded, and the process is immensely challenging. Smaller businesses starting to expand globally usually have less head office, and you have to grasp a more varied area of expertise. Sometimes, it requires flying by the seat of your pants. It is tough, risky, and sometimes arduous. It is also much more exciting.

There are various stages in the expansion process and for each of these, different considerations apply. This Whitepaper outlines the key issues particular to the three main stages of expansion: the early stage, the acceleration stage, and the growth stage.